14 months before the 20th Anniversary of Zambia’s national football team plane crash, the Chipolopolos exceeded expectations and shocked every football fan by lifting their first-ever AFCON.
The Zambian team that had a plane crash had a great future as they had beaten Italy 4-0 in the Seoul Olympics in 1988 with a hat trick from Kalusha Bwalya so a lot was expected from this team. The unfortunate incident happened on the evening of 27 April 1993, the Zambian Air Force crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after taking off from Libreville, Gabon. All 30 passengers and five crew members died. The flight had 18 players from the national team, and the coach and support staff were all killed.
Zambian football hopes were shattered even though they played in the 1994 AFCON finals losing 2-1 to Nigeria in the finals. They surprisingly beat Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mali en route to the finals less than a year after the fatal plane crash.
19 years later under the guidance of French coach, Harve Renard, Zambia did the unthinkable by lifting the AFCON trophy co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in 2012.
Zambia was in Pot 2 for the draw as they were drawn alongside host Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Senegal.
Emmanuel Mayuka and Rainford Kalaba’s first-half goals secured a 2-1 win for the Chipolopolos in their first game against Senegal.
In a 2-2 draw in MD2, Emmanuel Mayuka cancelled Saad’s 5th-minute opener for Libya in the 29th minute in the first half.
Zambia went down 2-1 early in the second half to Saad’s 48th-minute goal. Christopher Katongo levelled the score to 2-2 in the 53rd minute helping the Chipolopolo to secure a crucial point.
Christopher Katongo’s 68th-minute goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win against Equatorial Guinea in MD3 which enabled Zambia topped the group with 7 points.
In the Quarter-finals, Stoppila Sunzu, Christopher Katongo and James Chamanga’s goals secured an emphatic 3-0 win over Sudan.
Zambia met their first huge test in Ghana in Malabo and triumphed 1-0 in the semi-finals via Emmanuel Mayuka’s 78th-minute strike.
The day for Gold was between much fancied Ivory Coast. The star-studded Elephants started the likes of Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure and Cheick Tiote.
Goalless draw after 120 minutes, Zambia scored 8 of their 9 penalties as Ivory Coast scored 7 of their 9 with Gervinho and Kolo Toure missing theirs. Stoppila Sunzu stepped up when it mattered most and fired Zambia to the first-ever AFCON triumph.
Kennedy Mweene, Stophira Sunzu, Isaac Chansa, Chisamba Lungu, Joseph Musonda, Hijani Himoonde, Davies Nkausu, Nathan Sinkala, Rainford Kalaba, Emmanuel Mayuka and Christopher Katongo will never be forgotten in the history of Zambian football as they started the finals against Ivory Coast under the guidance of Herve Renard.
It was so emotional for the Chipolopolos and the nation of Zambia as the 20th anniversary was fast approaching to remember and honour their lost souls.
Zambia’s redemption was beyond everyone’s expectations as they shocked Senegal, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to lift the 2012 AFCON.
